Bilawal reaffirms Pakistan’s commitment to prosperous Afghanistan

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Thursday reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to a peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan.

He expressed these views during a meeting with Afghan Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi held in Tashkent, capital of Uzbekistan, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM).

During the meeting, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari also reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to promoting people to people exchanges with brotherly Afghanistan and providing humanitarian support and unlocking trade and transit potential.

Earlier, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said that Pakistan and China had complete convergence on fully leveraging Shanghai Cooperation Organisation as an important regional platform for development and connectivity.

Bilawal met his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the sidelines of the Council of Foreign Ministers meetings of the SCO. During the meeting, Bilawal and Wang reviewed the progress in bilateral relations and discussed regional and international issues of mutual interest.

Referring to his meeting with the secretary general of the SCO in Islamabad, Bilawal reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to the purposes and principles of the SCO and the “Shanghai Spirit”.

Both sides reaffirmed their strong support for each other’s core interests and major concerns and commitment to deepening strategic communication including at the highest political level and practical cooperation.

The foreign minister expressed satisfaction at the frequent high-level interactions between the two sides which was a hallmark of the bilateral relations.

He underscored that his third meeting with Wang reflected the importance attached by both sides to maintaining strategic communication, further deepening the Pakistan-China All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership and advancing economic engagement for mutual benefit.

Bilawal further emphasised that the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor’s (CPEC) development had reached a new phase, with increasing emphasis on high-quality development of industry, agriculture, IT, and science and technology, while ensuring tangible socio-economic benefits for the people.

The two sides discussed the latest developments in Afghanistan, agreeing that peace and stability in Afghanistan were vital for regional development and prosperity. They also agreed that only a peaceful, stable and connected Afghanistan could act as a fulcrum for enhanced regional trade and connectivity.The two foreign ministers agreed to maintain close coordination.